FIFA virus: Playing with their countries, resting with Real Madrid

Real Madrid failed against Real Mallorca with Plan B because Plan A had better things to do, like playing for their countries in the final phases of qualifying.

Obviously, this can't be used as an excuse for Los Blancos who, even with Plan B, should be winning against Mallorca.

Zinedine Zidane's squad was hit by injuries while players went away during the international break and it's certainly irritating Real Madrid.

Gareth Bale, Fede Valverde, Dani Carvajal, Raphael Varane and Luka Modric all spent the last two weeks playing across the world before returning to Spain to rest, watching their club on TV rather than actually playing.

The defeat in Mallorca was a tough one to take and raises all sorts of doubts ahead of the trip to Turkey to play Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday.

It's one thing complaining about injuries to international players, but Real Madrid have contributed to their worrying situation as well. If they hadn't have dropped points against Club Brugge then they wouldn't have needed to rest players for Galatasaray.

Now, with defeat in LaLiga Santander, there's even more pressure on them heading into European competition.

Plan B isn't what it used to be. The team don't click as well as the regular starters do and, with those players exerting themselves on international duty, there was no one to take responsibility for Los Blancos.

Real Madrid missed Gareth Bale's attacking threat at Son Moix - all his attacking efforts were made in a Wales shirt against Croatia. Modric makes Zidane's side tick, but he was too busy doing that in the red and white checks of Croatia.

Los Blancos are more solid at the back with Varane, but he was giving his defensive commitment to France. There's more cohesion and legs with Valverde in midfield, but he was using his energy playing for Uruguay. It's easier to rest when you return to Real Madrid.